Box-opener



(No Model.)

. F. L. PERRY.

BOX OPENER.

No. 327,821. Patntgd Oct. 6.1885.

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Nimh Smarts Arnim FFICE.

FRANK L. PERRY, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

BOX-OPENER.

SPECIFICATION' forming part of Letters Patent No. 327,821, dated October6,1885.

Application filed August 3, 1885.

To all whom 25 may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK L. PERRY, of the city of Baltimore and Stateof Maryland, have invented a certain Improved Box-Opener, of which thefollowing is a specification, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple, strong, durable toolwhich can be cheaply made, and which shall be adapted to perform quicklyand efficiently all the work ordinarily incident to opening boxes ofmerchandise-such as removing straps, cutting nails, drawing nails,missing or avoiding nails, raising covers, raising boxes, &c.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a side view of my improved tool with part ofthe handle broken off. Fig. 2 is asimilar side view showing a slightformal modification. Fig. 3 is a view of a formal modification taken atright angles to Figs. l and 2. Fig. 4 is an end view faken on the line 44 of Fig. 4, showing the bar or handle in section; and Fig. 5 is anotherend view taken on the line 5 5 0f Fig. 3, sh0wing the handle in section.

Referring to the letters upon the drawings, A indicates a bar or leverhaving upon one end a claw, B, or" ordinary curved form for drawingnails, and upon the other end a wedge or blade, C, projectingpreferably, as shown, substantially at right angles from the bar. rlhisblade may be slotted or bifnrcated, if de sired, as indicated in dottedlines in Fig. 4, the object being that it may straddle a nail when beingdriven between a box and its cover-for example, to raise the cover. Atthe same time the cutting-edges should be left wide enough, so that eachmay be used for cutting a nail when desired.

Near the middle of the bar A is hinged or pivoted in any suitablemanner, by means of a bolt or a rivet, D, or otherwise, a hammer, E, theobject of which is to drive the blade C either for cutting off a nail orfor wedging it between the parts of a box to be separated.

Imaypivot thehammer-handle x toasleeve, Z, tted upon the bar, so as tobe capable of turning by applying a little force, or held in place by anordinary set-screw, as indicated in Fig. 5. In such case there may betwo blades on the end of the bar at right angles to seran x0. 173.431.(x0 model.)

each other, and of different forms for different uses, (ora punch orother tool may be applied,) and either may be driven by the hammer. Thehammerpivoted to the bar or lever would be operative and useful withoutany wedgefor example, with some other tool, like an embossingftool, adie, or a punch.

The claw and blade should be of steel, as usual, and tempered andadapted to their peculiar uses. They may be an integral part of the baror lever, or may be secured to it.

It will be readily understood from the drawings that when itis desiredto remove a strap for instance, from the outside of a box-the wedge maybe driven in by the hammer between the strap and box, either so as toavoid hitting a strap-nail, or so as to cnt it, as may be desired. Thenby working the lever, as

indicated by the inclined dotted lines, Fig. 3, r

the strap may be rapidly removed, the wedge being readily slid alongunder the strap after having once been forced under it. cover can beremoved in a similar manner.

The claw end may be used,as usual,to draw nails, or as a mere lever toraise a box slightly to facilitate handling.

I am aware that the individual elements of this device are not new,perse; for example,the claw is the same as a claw upon the end of thehandle of a tack-hammer, only larger. The wedge is similar in function,although different in its relation to the lever, to that shown in UnitedStates Patent No. 41,925, of March l5, 1864. It is also, on account ofbeing at right angles instead of inclined, as in said patent, capable ofbeing used advantageously by a different movement of the lever from thewedge shown in said patent. Thus my lever may be moved to operate thewedge, so as to make the heel or thick part of the wedge (see Fig. 2) aswell as either side of it (see Fig. 3) its pivotal point. It ispreferable, also,to have the wedge on the bar slightly beyond thehammer, as shown in Fig. l, so that the hammer will be out of the way,and the wedge may be used as well as the claw for slightly lifting heavybodies.

It is not broadly new to employ a hammer or driver in connection with abox-opener. I am aware that this has been done in a way different fromthat I employ, as shown, for

A boxb IOO example, in United States Patents Nos. 74,167, of February4., 17868, 81,855, of September 1, 1868, and 103,330, of May 24, 1870,and also in a way similar to my way, as shown in United States PatentNo. 176,333, for a tack-driver and carpet-stretcher. My hammer, itwillbe observed, strikes a swinging blowalthough that is not new- Whichis practically more effective. Besides, it is double-faced, the objectbeing that by grasping the bar A and hammerhandle x the outer face, y,of the hammer may be used to drive nails or the like.

I disclaim all that has been known before, as above indicated, and limitmy invention to my actual improvements inbox-openers.

Having thus described my improved boX- opener, what I claim to be new,and desiie to secure by VLetters Patent of the United States, is-

l. A lever-bar for a boxopener having a claw, B, at one end and arightangular blade, C, at the other end, in combination with a hammer,E, pivoted to the lever-bar, substantially as set forth.

2. A lever-bar forra boxopener having a claw, B, at one end and aright-angular blade, C, at the other end, in combination with a hammer,E, pivoted to the lever-bar by means of a sleeve, Z, substantially asset forth.

3. A lever-bar for a box-openerhaving a right-angular blade, C, and adouble-faced hammer pivoted to the lever-bar, so that both faces of thehammer may be used, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto sub- 3 5 scribed my name. y

FRANK L. PERRY. Witnesses:

MARCUS S. HoPKrNs, WM. M. SMITH.

